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Borderlands 3 – Leave behind low-grav?

Each new Borderlands title has something extra to give it a distinct identity. The first title set the stage for the franchise with gritty graphics and dark humor. Borderlands 2 offered a massive amount of new guns and characters. And The Pre-Sequel introduced a completely new way to move around with low-grav as you float and butt slam your way around the game world. But is low-grav a good enough feature to be kept in the future title of Borderlands 3? I’m sure there are many mixed and conflicting opinions about this, so I think the best solution is to attempt to please everyone (something I don’t usually advocate). While many think, myself included, that low-grav got a tad tedious and slog-like, others rightly point out the fun and entertaining new element of butt-slamming as a vertical extension to the battlefield and fights. Rather than entertain a false dichotomy of having the feature basically everywhere like it is in The Pre-Sequel or completely absent like in Borderlands 2, I think a middle ground is a better approach.

Different planets mean different gravity

Rather than have every planet behave the exact same with respect to gravity, it would be more dynamic to have varying degrees of gravity. Some could be like the moon landing footage, where jumping is more of a floaty hop, while movement is not slowed that much. Other planets could feature the low-grav from The Pre-Sequel with long drops and lingering falls for epic butt slams or new melee moves that I discussed in a previous post and video. This would allow each planet to have a more distinct and memorable identity, flowing into the idea I shared in my weapon crafting post. Big games and RPG’s can start to blend together if areas are too similar, and Borderlands is masterful at having very distinct areas, especially in Borderlands 2. From the creepy and acidic caves of Caustic Caverns to rolling hills and snowy mountains of Tundra Express to the expansive dessert of The Dust, each area is as unique and distinct as many of the bosses. Changing up the gravity would keep things fresh and fun, keeping players on their toes and unable to settle into cruise control with their already established familiarity and skill in the franchise. But I do think, as my next section will discuss, most of the gravity and movement should be normal.

Mostly normal, please

While I do think a variety of planets with varying degrees of gravity would be a fun injection of innovation and dynamic experiences to the game, it would be best if most of the areas and interactions were normal gravity. This allows for boss fights and enemy engagements on the low-grav planets to more specific and creative within the realm of the lower gravity, instead of feeling tiresome and slow the way it started to feel in The Pre-Sequel. I really enjoyed the final boss fight of The Pre-Sequel because floating and flying around the room made it fun and engaging. But some boss fights were just infuriating and stupid, ahem, Dead Lift, ahem, The Boson. In any case, I think the feature would be better utilized if they avoid complete removal or too much usage. What are your thoughts on the low gravity in The Pre-Sequel and the potential reappearance in the future title?